Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1887-03-16
THE ADOPTED CHILD.

SIZE was very Tair 10 look upon. this
Alice s.. Avon, with deep, wIne-dark
eyes. ;he ruseate bloom On her dImpled
ciees. and tie wIllOwy grace OF her
,su. well developed figure She would
moi III have graced the purple and
srmfne Of d princess of the blood yet
she was nothing more than a govern
IS. sitting there in the gray twilight,
with Charley Worden'S weary little
head resting II her lap.
"Hush." SAID the child, suddenly,
with uplifted finger. hear them laugh
ing down stairs. On, Miss ST. Avon,
how harpy they must bel'
why 90 you not so down stairs,
Charley, and enjoy yourself with the
other childTen?'
81 did, Mss s.. Avon, and Aunt
Lois frowEed at NE, and told me to go
out again with my old faded clothes.
wish had nice clothes, Miss St.
Avon"
Shave you asked your uncle to buy
them for you?n
Uncle says am nuisance, and he
shall have me bound out TO soma
trsdesman."
Charley, 1 thought you had some
money of your own"
81 thought SO, too," said the little
fellow, With a puzzled look. when
frst papa brought me here uncle and
aunt were so glad, and kissed me, and
said what a beautiful clnld | was, and
that they should love me like their
Owl. Oh, Miss St. Avon, do you sup
pose papa will never come home againI"
She smOo;hed his flaxen-gold hair
tenderly.
81 do not know, Charley"
''But, Miss ST. Avon, what do you
Think"
81 do not ike to think about it at
all, Charley"
If she had told him what were her
real thoughts, his little heart would
have been heavier than ever. For
Alice knew, from what she had heard
from time 10 time, that Mr.. Worden
was supposed to have been lost, with
al the other passengers, when the good
Ship went down, off the coast of France.
mo need TO tell the child" Mrs.
Parker WOrdel had SAID; and they had
calmly gone on drawing the dividends
that should have been little Charley's.
Alice did not know how cruelty the
lonely orphan was wronged and sighted,
but she felt all her tender womanly
synpathles aroused il his behalf, nev-
ertheless.
docs your head ache much, Char
ley?''
1T aches most all the time, Miss st.
Avon. Nurse says it's because l keep
taxing cold, sleeping in the garrett"
But why don't you sleep with Ru.
pert and Alfredo"
They won't let me. They say L
poan and cry, and disturb them, in my
sleep"
MY poor little mani" murmured
Alice, drawing him closer to her,
hush! there is the dInner-bell; run
down now.n
i don't take my dinner with my
uueie and aunt and my cousins. 1 eat
With the servants.''
with the servants! How is that,
Charley?"
Alice St. Avon had been away for a
month attending the dying bed of her
cum, The only surviving relative that
sne had, and these later regulations
were quite new to her.
aunt Lois says there are children
euough at the table, and that l must
pot come there any more. 1t seems, {"
&c, me ADDED, with little piteous Sigh,
1IaI am In the way everywhere"
foor little Charleyl lie was not far
wrong II the supposItion that had
toiced Itself upon his childish con-
SciOlsness.
alice went with him to the lonely
kaIIel, which was his sleeping place
..tuM, lor the child seemed feyerish and
saL IA IIom well that night. 1t was dark
usnsi' and bitterly cold; a hard straw
maItFeSS, with no pillow and an INSULT
o.sl o.ent supply Of blankets, lay in one
Mereiful Heavenln calculated the
lung goyernesS, involuntarily, "what
marley cTept closer to her.
{, l wouldn't mind it so much, Miss
- o. avon" he whispered. 'but L am
CD ~ allala OF the big black rats that
,Sn tS.,e out at night and look at me with
'nelT bright eyes,
Law ou ought not to sleep here, Char
iey.you a sick childp'
afroia Auht Lois says must, and l am
Afraid? WhyP"
,.r,s,i sne beats mel" whispered the child.
,1Saaglng ,Sa his head; "she strikes me on
eT TaL When l dare to complain
Cb.r,N.I WIN speak to her MI self. Come,
scendeSs, @S, and Alice resolutely de.
e6ar1e 6eu me stairs, holding her little
'Hssge 6Y the hand.
roori is; Farker Worden was in her bed
IVAN uieSslng for ball, her long black